Wound closing device



R. DOW 2,409,261

WOUND CLOSING DEVICE Filed Feb. 15, 1944 INVENTOR. EHYMOND DOW Patented9e. 15, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WOUND CLOSING DEVICE RaymondDow, Flushing, N. Y.

Application February 15, 1944, Serial No. 522,427

This invention relates to means for use in uniting the lips or edges ofa wound or suture closed gap in the flesh without piercing the fleshwith the usual stitching needles and suturing devices at present in use.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a suturing means inthe form of strips that can be applied to the body flanking the openwound and which can be applied thereto as by adhesive material so thatthe suturing means may be applied quickly, by one not skilled in surgeryand will effectively close the wound without the usual lacerating effectof the stitching operation at the present time in common use.

'A still further object of the invention is to provide a simplifieduni-ting device for the purpose set forth which is strong, can beapplied quickly, which will close the wound evenly throughout its lengthand may be applied under sanitary conditions and when the wound hashealed can be readily removed without subjecting the patient to theordeal of having embedded stitching re moved.

For convenience of description, my invention is referred to as asuturing device, in the sense that it unites the edges of a Wound thatwould ordinarily be joined by sewing, without actually piercing the skinin a sewing operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certainconstructions hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out inthe claims and a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of the invention in which theconnecting means is secured to a tape member by sewing,

Figure 2 is a similar view of a difierent form of the invention in Whichthe connecting means is attached to the tape by being itself stitched insaid tape,

Figure 3 is a view in sectional elevation taken through the form of myinvention as shown in Figure 1 and illustrating the arrangement of theparts,

Figure 4 is a view in sectional elevation taken through the form of theinvention shown in Figure 2,

Figure 5 and Figure 6 are enlarged sectional views in elevation showingthe steps of applyin the uniting strips to the body in flanking relationto a wound and the twisting of the joining means to draw the stripstogether to close the wound, and

3 Claims. (01. 12s' fss5) Figure '7 is a plan view of the suturingdevice as seen in Figure 6.

Referring to the drawing in detail, It) represents a part of the bodythat has been lacerated by a wound H, the latter of which it is desiredto close without the necessity of sewing through the flesh flanking thewound. My novel suturing device consists of a strip [2 of fabric orother tape like material, to which is fastened by a row of cotton orlike stitching 13 extending longitudinally of the tape 12, a malleablewire M which may be of thread gauge and sufliciently strong in tensilestrength to be drawn and twisted in "the operation to be described. Thefilament I4 is sewn to the tape 12 so that at spaced points along thetape it extends laterally therefrom in spaced loops l5, the strands ofwhich are parallel and constitute tying means for joining the tapes asshown in Figure 7 to close a wound. The underside of the tape is coatedwith an adhesive substance I6 which embeds the wire filament l4 andsecures the tape throughout its length to the bodyj While the tape maybe sold in rolls, I show in outline a strip of waxed paper 11 which maybe employed to protect the adhesive surface and maintain the samesanitary and in use the tape is cut off to the required length with ascissors and the waxed strip is pulled off in readiness for applying thesuturing device to the body.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 2, 4 and 7 the wirefilament 2b is stitched directly through the tape as at 2! and spacedtherealong with laterally extending parallel loop portions 22 whichconstitute tying means. The tape in this instance is provided with anunder coating of adhesive and a protecting shield of wax paper 23.

In the operation of my improved suturing device, the tape is cut in thelengths desired and applied to the body in flanking relation to thewound. Then the extended portions of the wires are drawn toward eachother to bring the tapes sufficiently close together to cause the woundto be closed. Then the wires are twisted as at 25 in Figure 5 to give aninitial holding function so that the wound can be quickly closed in caseof an emergency and thereafter, the wires can be permanently twisted asat 26 in Figure 6 to maintain the wound closed until the healing processis completed when the suturing means may be readily removed without thenecessity of untwisting the wires. The wires being soft and pliableoffer no sharp resisting points extending from the place where the woundis closed and the device does not in any way interfere with a coveringthat may be placed over the wounded portion of 3 the body and will notscratch the hands or wearing apparel.

It is evident that I have made a novel wound closing device for use insuturing operations that eliminates the necessity of stitching the fleshwith its attendant pain and unpleasantness and effectively holds thewound closed, may be applied quickly and by anyone and may be used asregular equipment in a first aid container.

My invention is not to be restricted to the precise details ofconstruction shown since various changes and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificingthe advantages derived from its use.

What I claim is:

1. In a wound closing device; in combination, an adhesive strip memberadapted to be cut into individual portions each for adhesion to the skinin flanking relation to a wound, a continuous filament extendinglengthwise of the strip and being arranged at spaced points to presentlaterally ofis'et double strand extensions presenting elongated portionsbeyond the edge of said strip for direct coupling to a like strand on acompanion strip, each of said extensions being an integral subdivisionof the filament, means associated with said strip for holding theportions of the filament between said extension elongations to the stripto provide for an even lateral pull at all points along the length ofthe strip to close the wound when the strips are drawn toward each otherto close the wound and permit intertwisting of said extensions to holdthe wound closed.

2. In a wound closing device, in combination, an adhesive strip memberadapted to be cut into individual portions each for adhesion to iii theskin in flanking relation to a wound, a continuous filament extendinglengthwise of the strip and being arranged at spaced points to presentlaterally ofiset double strand extensions presenting elongated portionsbeyond the edge of said strip for direct coupling to a like strand on acompanion strip, each of said extensions being an integral subdivisionof the filament, said filament being threaded through said strip forholding the portions of the filament between said extension elongationsto the strip to provide for an even lateral pull at all points along thelength of the strip to close the wound when the strips are drawn towardeach other to close the wound and permit intertwisting of saidextensions to hold the wound closed.

3. In a wound closing device, in combination, an adhesive strip memberadapted to be cut into individual portions each for adhesion to the skinin flanking relation to a wound, a continuous filament extendinglengthwise of the strip and being arranged at spaced points to presentlaterally offset double strand extensions presenting elongated portionsbeyond the edge of said strip for direct coupling to a like strand on acompanion strip, each of said extensions being an integral subdivisionof the filament, and a line of stitching parallel to the lengthwiseportions of the filament and longitudinally of said strip for holdingthe portions of the filament between said extension elongations to thestrip to provide for an even lateral pull at all points along the lengthof the strip to close the wound when the strips are drawn toward eachother to close the wound and permit intertwisting of said extensions tohold the wound closed.

RAYMOND DOW.

